Lauren McGuire

• SPS’s Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Committee (FACMAC): A group of family representatives and community leaders that helped the district find solutions to manage enrollment growth of nearly 1,000 students a year for the past several years.
• SPS’s Special Education Task Force: As defined by the SEA’s and SPS’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), this group of educators, parents, and administrators is working to create a new model of service delivery for Special Education Services.
• Schools First: The campaign organization that supports SPS Levies.
• New Student Assignment Plan (NSAP) Family Connectors (SPS)
• School Board Leaders for the Future: Board Member representing the parent perspective^[2]

I want to serve on the Seattle School Board to continue fighting for our kids—in District 3 and citywide.

This means setting aside divisive governance distractions and focusing on the real work of improving student learning. An award-winning education advocate with a track record helping Seattle Schools with school overcrowding, special education, and other high profile issues, I believe I can be an effective, needed voice.

Like many parents, I got involved when my kids entered school. By 2008, I was a leader with the Bryant Elementary PTSA and recently PTSA President of the newly opened Jane Addams Middle School. I know the local issues, and how they fit with citywide priorities.

Growth. Seattle Public Schools is currently growing by 1,000 students a year. We need sufficient space to meet the needs of all students, including those getting special education services, English language learners, and kids living in poverty.

Governance. The Board should provide guidance and oversight to assure accountability and progress—not micromanaging, or hands-off cheerleading. I’ll help strike that balance.

Getting Real. We must address the chronic—and unconstitutional—State funding crisis. Short-changing our schools harms all, disproportionately impacts the kids who can least afford to be left behind. I am not afraid to fight for our fair share of State resources.

Join 46th Democrats; School Board Directors Sherry Carr, Sharon Peaslee, Harium Martin-Morris; State Representative Gerry Pollet; and local education leaders Janet Miller, Monica Mace in support of my campaign. I appreciate your vote!^[2]

On the School Board, I will make these issues my priorities:

Support Growing Student Enrollment

Seattle Public Schools is currently growing by 1,000 students a year. We need sufficient space to meet the needs of all students, including those getting special education services, English language learners, and kids living in poverty. As these children progress through the system, we will need more middle and high schools to accommodate them.

I believe education is part of our city’s infrastructure, and every conversation we have in our city about growth needs to include schools. We need to make sure every student has a seat close to home.

My record:

• As a member of the Northeast Cluster Coalition, we successfully advocated that Seattle Public Schools re-open NE schools to meet the increasing demand. Our efforts resulted in the re-opening of McDonald, Sand Point and Queen Anne Elementary schools.
• As Seattle Council PTSA President, I worked with Susan Enfield to create the Facilities and Capacity Management Advisory Council, also known as FACMAC. The group, who worked with district staff to find capacity solutions, made recommendations including which projects should be included in the BEX IV levy.
• On the Design Team for McDonald Elementary and through helping them open their new PTA it was an honor to ensure we have great schools right from the start.

Eliminate the Opportunity Gap

We need to eliminate the opportunity gap for children of color and living in poverty. All of our kids deserve outstanding learning opportunities. In my past seven years of working with families, teachers, principals, administrators, community groups and the City, I have learned a lot about ways we can support our students. For a start, we must work on reducing student suspensions and change student discipline. We need to keep kids in school and continue learning so they’re on track for graduation.

My record:

• When I was President of the Seattle Council PTSA, we were awarded the Urban Family Engagement Network (UFEN) grant from the National PTA. The National PTA brought in a curriculum to share with families who were typically not included in family engagement with their students’ schools due to cultural barriers.
• As Jane Addams PTSA President, we worked with the Eckstein PTA and the University District Food Bank to bring the “Pack for Kids” program to our school to serve kids over the weekend.
• Working with the Principal and staff at JAMS, we started a Black Futures program to complement Black History Month. The program invited leaders from the Black Student Union (BSU) at UW Bothell to tell their story of going to college to JAMS students.
• As Jane Addams PTSA President, we partnered with the Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) to bring community meetings with the principal to Jackson Park housing and Lake City Court. This gave parents who might lack transportation or childcare the opportunity to meet the principal where they live.
• When I was President of the Seattle Council PTSA, we also supported Mayor Mike McGinn’s “Be Here, Get There” attendance campaign. Good attendance supports better student learning.

Address Our Funding Crisis

We must address the chronic—and unconstitutional—state-funding crisis. Short-changing our schools harms all, but disproportionately impacts the kids who can least afford to be left behind. I am not afraid to fight for our fair share of State resources.

• For several years, I was part of Schools First, the organization that supports voting in the levies.
• I’ve gone to Olympia with the Washington State PTA to advocate to legislators about increasing funding for K-12 education.
• When I was Seattle Council PTSA President, our group worked with district leaders to understand the state and districts budgets. We hosted meetings with SPS to explain state, district and school budgets to parents and PTA.

Focus On Good Governance

The Board should provide guidance and oversight to assure accountability and progress—not micromanage. I’ll help strike that balance. I want to focus on creating well-run schools where the community has a voice in school decisions and we are taking action on the important issues.

• I was part of School Board Leaders for the Future (http://schoolboardleaders.org), an organization that provided training to potential School Board candidates and community members interested in school governance. This intellectually diverse group includes a former Seattle Education Association (SEA) President, a former School Board member, a student, a former SPS administrator, parents, and community members. We used the work of Dr. Thomas Alsbury of SPU on effective school boards as a basis for the curriculum for the training. He recommends a Balanced Governance approach to improve student learning, the solid middle ground between micromanaging and rubber-stamping whatever the staff recommends. I believe this is reasonable approach. My goal would be part of a board that creates stability so all students in our system can reach their potential.^[2]

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